Blog

A couple of months ago, I gave away 4 link building strategies for the long term. Maybe you’ve applied at least one of those strategies and are working image of a laptopon another one as we speak. Or maybe some of those weren’t necessarily your cup of tea. Well I’m going to share with you 4 more long term link building strategies that you can implement to your SEO campaign today.

Strategy #1  Content

Content is constantly repeated as one of the most fundamental aspects of link building. Link builders and SEOs preach it as an integral part of any link building campaign. Well you know what, I’m going to be doing the same. We link builders constantly preach the value of content because it is still an under-utilized link building strategy. People talk and read about it, yet aren’t willing to take the time to compose quality content. A handful of 500 word articles just isn’t going to cut it! There’s a reason why sites like CNN, Huffington Post, Yahoo News, and Wikipedia constantly rank at the top for searches.

Focus on demonstrating that your site is a consistent expert and authority in its field by providing quality content on a regular basis. Google and the search engines will see this and reward you with higher rankings. Add a blog to your site and post industry news and trends. Take the time to test and research a project or theory and compile the findings in a blog post. (Look at one of Moz’s most recent blog posts  This is an example of a blog post that probably took a few months in the making. However, it will yield tons of comments, discussion and links).

Invest the time and resources into adding quality content to your site and you’ll find that you’ll soon be rewarded with links and rankings.

Strategy #2  Contests

I love contests because they’re relatively fast, simple, and straightforward to implement, yet can produce a decent number of links. Look to create a contest that requires participants to be active. Ideas like creating an article, logo, tagline, or submitting photos are perfect for making contestants active. You’ll get the benefit of users creating content for you as well as the natural promotion that comes with having a contest. Another thing to keep in mind is that the bigger the prize, the more contestants you’ll have, leading to a stronger attraction for links.

Once you’ve settled on your contest idea, be sure to have a page devoted to information on the contest. Make it a priority to target authority sites and their social media outlets to promote your contest.

Strategy #3  Discounts

Discounts are a very natural way to make you stand out against your competitors. Here’s a line I commonly come across when I’m researching blogs:

“If you’re looking for xyz product but have a tight budget, you might want to check out xyz company because they have a special discount for xyz product.”

You want to be that special, recommended brand that has a discount. I can’t tell you the countless scenarios I’ve come across bloggers recommending particular products simply because of a coupon or discount. This is one of many ways you can stand out from your competitors.

Another twist on this method is providing exclusive discounts for specific groups. Try providing special discounts for universities or government organizations. In doing so, you can contact universities and government organizations and let them know about their exclusive discounts. Now you’ve got strategy that will not only get you links, but the most authoritative links in the SEO game.

Strategy #4  Give Away Free Stuff

When people hear the word “free,” an internal switch is activated. It’s either the sarcastic “yeah right” or “really?” switches that get activated. Either way, it causes people to stop for a split second and make a consideration.

Take advantage of this natural, “free” switch within people and give away something. Ideally, free samples of your product or service is what you should be offering. However, when it comes to free, it can be just about anything.

Once you have identified your free sample, find the most influential outlets, and let them know about your company’s freebie. You’ll soon find different types of deal, bargain, shopping, and blogging type sites linking to your site. The great thing about these types of sites is that you’ll be tapping into a demographic that tends to “buy.” Another benefit is that these types of sites also tend to be well-invested in social media channels, which nowadays, is becoming increasingly integral to a successful SEO campaign.

Another twist to add to this type of strategy is to require users to join a newsletter or contribute a brief piece of content to get their freebie. Now you’ve got links, content, and potential new customers.

Try these 4 strategies for long-term, powerful link building methods. Though some of these methods may require resources and time, you’ll reap the benefit of passive links that will come in long after you’ve completed your project.